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Necessary Sacrifices	By : magentasouth Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 31254 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from any part of the Harry Potter universe

Chapter List
- 1-Ch 1
- 2-Ch 2
- 3-Ch 3
- 4-Ch 4
- 5-Ch 5
- 6-Ch 6
- 7-Ch 7
- 8-Ch 8
- 9-Ch 9
- 10-Ch 10
- 11-Ch 11
- 12-Ch 12
- 13-Ch 13
- 14-Ch 14
- 15-Ch 15
- 16-Ch 16
- 17-Ch 17
- 18-Ch 18
- 19-Ch 19
- 20-Ch 19b
- 21-Ch 20
- 22-Ch 22
- 23-Ch 23
- 24-Ch 24
- 11
- 12
- 13
The Dark Lord was sitting, irritated, on his throne in the
great hall.� After such an unusually
satisfying morning it annoyed him more than usual to have to deal with the
incompetence of his servants.��

The muggle man huddling on his knees terrified out of his
wits was entirely incorrect.�

Galant � Artemis Galant to
be precise since the man had two brothers also in his service,
was on his knees begging for forgiveness for his error.

�He was in the right place.�
He looked...the same.. as
the picture you gave me my Lord.. forgive my error.. I�ll
go and retrieve the right man at once.� Er.. are
there many who look just like him there?!.��

The Dark Lord shot him an �oh-be-silent!� look.�

He turned once again to the small Japanese fellow looking up at him every so
often and muttering �ghost.. evil
spirit..am i having a
nightmare?� in Japanese under his breath.�

He had been quite interested in languages during
school.� Japan had had some very
interesting ancient magic that he had wanted to learn more about and the
translated versions were extremely watered down.� He had wanted to know why and so had taught
himself the language over a few weeks.�
It was quite logical and it had a pleasing sound.�

When used to insult it had almost a tangible cudgel effect. �A pity that he did not
actually know any Japanese to berate
in it.�

Still � soon he would, it seemed. �He
looked forward to it.�

Addressing the lab-coated man in Japanese he said �you
there.� You are not Miramoto.� Who are you?�
What do you do?��

The man emitted a sound not unlike Aieee
and fell backward in his urge to get further away from him.�

�Answer!� he demanded, enjoying the bark of the word.� �

The man seemed to pull himself together and looked around
the large dark marbled hall, obviously looking for exits.� Spotting the great doors at the end of the
hall he seemed to be considering running.

The Dark Lord sneered at him.�

�Fool.� You do not know where you are.. and you would not reach the door
if you tried.� Observe.��

He lifted his wand and pointed it at Galant.� He did not need to utter the word � the man
fell screaming and writhing to the ground.�
He held the crucio on him for perhaps ten
seconds only.� He did not want to have to
deal with his incapacitation and the cruciatus was rather more for the muggle�s benefit than Galant�s
instruction at present.�

Tilting his head questioningly he moved his wand to point it
at the Japanese man.� �I will not ask
again� he warned.��

The man nodded, his eyes like dinnerplates. �Kenzai Takiuchi.� I am a
chemist with Kobe labs�

The Dark Lord frowned.�
Perhaps chemists would be necessary.�
If they were at the lab where the cloning research was underway, it was
probably so.� He had simply sought to
acquire the man who had been reported on in the web article he had found.� He was working on cloning mice and had had
some success.��

He looked at the man appraisingly. �Are you involved with the cloning
work?��

There was hesitation and then a nod.�

�Excellent.� Consider
yourself recruited.� I am carrying out
some...privately funded.. research
in that area.� ...Extremely ambitious and
cross disciplinary.� You will assist me
to determine who or what is needed to achieve this end.��

The man looked beside himself.�

�If I help you with such a list, will you let me go?� I have a family!� �

He smiled coldly. �I may release you after the project is
complete, Mr Takiuchi.� It is therefore in your own interests to name
the most qualified experts in the field for me.�
The less capable you all are together, the longer it will be before you
see your family again.�

If you are truly incompetent.. you may not survive to see them again.��

Takiuchi balked and, somehow accepting
this logic, nodded.� �What is the
project?� he asked resigned.

The Dark Lord smirked.

�You are going to develop a means of cloning a human being
from genetic information stored in blood or semen.��

The man at his feet gaped, horrified. �It cannot be done!..those sources are no good! This is an impossible
task!��

The Dark Lord sniffed. ��It will be done, I assure you. The budget for
the task is unlimited.� You may have
whatever you require to work with.� And I
will have one or two of my own researchers working with you.�� you will likely
find that many aspects of the process can be assisted or obviated with
magic.��

The man looked like he didn�t know whether to laugh or be
sick.

�Magic?!��

Pointing his wand once again at the once-again kneeling Galant, who gasped and shook in anticipation of further
punishment, he levitated the man from the floor and lifted him effortlessly
above the muggle scientist, turning him in the air with small flicks.�

�Magic� he said quietly.�

�Shall I turn him into a rabbit for you?��

Galant whimpered as he rolled
slowly in the air.� The muggle man looked
bemused.

�That is astounding..� what else can you
do?!� Yes!� Turn him into a rabbit!��

Snorting, amused, the Dark Lord transfigured Galant in mid air.� A
white rabbit now turned slowly, its blue eyes wild.�� He lowered it gently to hover in front of
the muggle.�

�I could separate him into different component elements if I
pleased, but I rather think that Galant would prefer
I refrained from that demonstration.��

�How does it work?!� the muggle asked.�

The Dark Lord considered the metaphysical ramifications of
the question before finally answering. �I can tell you how it is done.. not that it would help you.�
You lack the ..genes?.. to
do it.� The question of how magic works would take a lifetime to
answer.�

We are not looking for that answer today.�
Your only concern is what you need to achieve and how it might be
accomplished.� Magic may simplify some
aspects for you.�

Now.. let us start with
names...� When I have a small team
assembled we will begin on equipment and resources you will all require.��

He summoned a quicknotes quill and
parchment.� If the muggle was surprised
at the arcane writing implement, he did not show it but merely nodded and
started rattling off names and designations.�

The Dark Lord could perceive his thoughts had shifted quite dramatically.� He was still terrified but now he was also
intrigued.� He would have the chance to
work with unlimited resources and no restraints upon a very challenging problem.. and he would get to learn about
something he had not even known existed.�

He had told the muggle that he would not be able to use
magic but the thoughts in his mind showed that the man believed he was simply
trying to dissuade him from trying to take control of the rod like weapon in
his hand that enabled him to do impossible things with matter.� He was theorising that it operated on the
basis of gravitational energy and possibly some kind of telepathic interface. �

The man believed him to be an alien, it seemed.�

He was wondering whether he was in a spaceship.�
It was quite entertaining to watch the tight analytical little mind
spin. �

Absently he� directed the floating Galant, who really made a rather fine white rabbit, to the
side and transfigured him back to his regular form.� He wiggled his nose, looking sheepish about
doing so.��

Takiuchi was winding down in his
list.� The Dark Lord questioned him
curiously � �Are those the best names in the world?� Language and location
are irrelevant, Mr. Takiuchi.��

The man started and looked wonderingly at him.� The Dark Lord continued. �You will all
understand one another perfectly.� I
assure you.� And political rivalries will
not be relevant here.��

The muggle nodded again, more slowly and this time he took a
long time to think before he rattled off another fifteen or
twenty names.�

Most of what he was saying made little sense to the Dark Lord..
...something �polymerase�.� He simply nodded on principle.�

After a while he summoned several more of his permanently
available servants and tasked them with several names each and the warning to
be certain they had the right muggle before daring to bother him.� Then he instructed Takiuchi
to explain exactly what his role in the whole..process..was and was frustrated to listen to the suddenly animated
man rattle off complex explanations full of words that he seemed to assume
meant something to his listener.�

They did not.� Especially
not in Japanese.�

Perhaps he might have understood some of them in english.

Instructing him to start over and to explain it as if he
were explaining it to someone from another planet, he found the man quite
capable of getting his message across.�

Yes.. the strange little
muggle might be marginally tolerable to have here for a while, he decided.� He was unlike most muggles
he had had the misfortune to deal with.�

All that screaming and carrying on.. and their minds were so vapid and empty for the most part.

When the Dark Lord returned to his quarters
hours later, Hermione was curled up in one of the chairs reading from the book
he had left her.� She was almost
finished.�

Once again he mourned the loss of three of his most treasured books and cursed Dumbledore.� He should blame himself for giving them to
her, he supposed.. but it was
more satisfying to despise Dumbledore.��

�Where is Severus?� he asked, amused when she jolted.� She had been so absorbed in the book she
hadn�t heard him enter, clearly.�

�Oh!!� She had her hand on her chest, breathing
rapidly.� �You gave me a fright.� Sorry.�
Um.. he said he had to
go and get some things. I think he went to Hogwarts!!� I.. he said not to
worry.�

I couldn�t do anything, Tom! �I have no
wand.. and no way of
contacting you. ��

The Dark Lord�s brow creased. �Damn him. I instructed him
not to return to Hogwarts.��

Hermione closed the book in front of her uneasily, biting
her lip.�

The Dark Lord fumed.� A small particle of
concern for the man he had known for the better part of fifteen years flared in
him. �When was this?� he demanded. �

�Um.. a ..few
hours ago I think.� I read about a page
and a half a minute and I�m almost finished with the
book..� she said, looking miserable.�

He cursed.� He thought
to summon Severus but the man knew he was expected and once the call had been
sent, it would merely place him in pain until met.�

Until he knew his servants state, he would hold off.� It might distract him and worsen the
situation.�

Instead he walked to Hermione and drew her up from the chair, seating himself
in it and pulling her back down onto his lap.�

The chair was warm.. she was
warm.� It was very pleasant.� He always felt cold these days.� It was this form � his blood was not warm as
it should be.�� He wrapped his arms
around the handful of warm schoolgirl in his lap.�

�What were you doing?� she asked him curiously.�

He sighed

�You may disapprove if I tell you, Hermione, and I have no patience for that at
present.� Tell me what you have learned
so far.��

Hermione raised her eyebrows.�

It wasn�t certain she�d disapprove.. and anyway.. saying that would only
make her wonder now.. she�d be imagining the most
fantastic horrid things for the rest of the day.�

�Kerbel believes that magic is not
present ambiently, but is a function of the witch or
witches body � like some kind of conversion.�
Like..photosynthesis.�� He goes on for quite a while about what it
is not related to..
like diet or sunlight or water or heat and then when
he can�t find anything to point out that we�re converting to create magic, he
postulates a totally new form of energy or substance that we are using which is
there but simply hasn�t been measured yet.��

Hermione�s face showed her disgust.� The Dark Lord smirked.�

�I take it you do not approve his thesis?��

She snorted.� �Well
its redundant isn�t it?� There�s this
substance.. this energy.. out there that we�re using to create magic.� You might as well say � there�s this magic out there that we�re using to create
spells - since raw magic and focused magic are different anyway.� ...The man�s an idiot.��

The Dark Lord hummed thoughtfully.� �Perhaps.�� Was that all
Kerbel had to say?��

Hermione strained.. had there been something else.. some
kernel of value in the whole book.� She
said finally, uncertainly.. �He seemed to think that
this energy.. or whatever it
was.. was vibrating at a certain frequency and that
there might be other frequencies of it which are similar but which we can�t use
because of the frequency we�re
vibrating at or something.� It was a bit
fluffy around that point.� He may have
suggested that demons and house elves were using something like magic but
operating on different frequencies.��

The Dark Lord nodded.�
Those were the two basic messages in the rather thick and tedious book
he had given her to read.� He could have
simply told her that in under thirty seconds but he was curious whether she
would become frustrated and read something else from his library instead.� He�d placed a charm upon the dangerous books
to prevent them being removed.�

�And this is equally frivolous in your opinion?� he
enquired.�

Hermione frowned.�

His placid expression was suggesting to her that it might not be, but her logic
was insisting that the man had lacked any kind of proof for his
suggestions.� He had postulated theories
without any shred of concrete reasoning.�
She bit her lip.� �Isn�t it?� she
asked finally.�

The Dark Lord�s contourless face
snorted, amused.� �You do not have an opinion, Hermione?� Would it make any difference if I told you
that Hannes Kerbel was a
man who dabbled, unwisely as it turns out, in demonology.� He based many of the ideas in this, his last
work, upon information given to him by an entity he referred to in an earlier
book as Kandleth.�

He cites little proof because he did not come by the concept through a process
of deductive reasoning, although you see as he experiments with denying test
subjects access to various substances and energy forms that he does make some
effort to establish whether there is any base to the information.�

At the end of his experiments, although he has come no further to proving
anything, he has thought about the matter in much greater detail.�

You are correct � the distinction between �a form of energy unknown which is
converted into magic� and �magic� is rather arbitrary.� The book poses the question, whether there
are other forms of magic fundamentally distinct from that which is utilized by
witches and wizards and theorises about what this implies for the nature of
magic itself.. and indeed the
nature of the reality we exist in.��

Hermione frowned.� �And
is it true?� Are there different kinds of
magic?��

The Dark Lord snorted, wildly amused now.� �Of course not.� It�s a load of old codswallop.� House elves use the same magic as wizards �
it was proven by Renquis in the seventies � and
demons don�t use magic at all.� Not even
�demonic magic at the nth frequency.��

Kerbel was deceived
by the demon and in the end it consumed his soul when he was uncareful with his preparations - But the book did give me some very useful ideas when
I was younger.��

Hermione scowled at him.

�You had me read a completely pointless book for four hours?!� I was trying really hard to find something
redeemable in that book � I thought if you
recommended it then it must be of value.�

Aaarrgh.� I could have been learning something meaningful today!!��

He smirked at her, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to
her forehead.� �You are quite precious,
my dear.� I find myself paradoxically
entertained when you attempt to scold me.�
I feel I should protect you from viewing my punishment of others, else
you might give up such a daring practice.��

She turned her face up to his uncertainly, an edge of fear wavering there.

�As I was saying � the book was thought provoking to me when I was younger and
my musing on the topic bore fruit in
the form of several spells which I shall
teach you...�

I wondered if you might be similarly philosophically stimulated by the tome and
therefore laid it out for you.� There was
nothing physically preventing you from selecting another book if this one
displeased you so.� I recall you did so
last time without worrying about specific permission..��

The bright eager look she had taken on when he said he would
teach her spells faded into guilty avoidance of his eyes.

�I only took a book last time because I was finished with the one you had set
me.. I�m sorry.�
I shouldn�t have.� I didn�t take
one today because..�
I wasn�t finished.. and
if you tell me to do something, there�s probably a reason for it.��

Ah.. like balm-her words, he thought to
himself.� So many of his servants thought
they knew better..questioned his commands and obeyed
out of fear or greed.� Hermione truly
thought that his thought processes were reliable even if not understood by
her.�

�Did I chastise you when you took the book without asking
last time?� he questioned softly.�

She shook her head.

�I will set a selection of books out for you from now on.� You may choose which you feel like
reading.� If I do not permit you to do
something, Hermione � I assure you, you will know it.�

Now.. to the spells.� There are three that I will share with
you.� I use the term intentionally.� These are spells that I created as a student.� They
are not known to any beside myself.� Should you ever use them, you will do so only
silently.� If you cannot master that �
you are not permitted to use them.� Is
that understood?��

Hermione agreed eagerly looking like Christmas had suddenly
been announced a month early and she�d received the world wrapped with a big
shiny bow.�

He prodded her to rise and followed her to his feet.�

�I will have to see about acquiring you a wand..� he
muttered, although secretly he found he rather enjoyed the thought of her using
his.�

It was perverse.� A wizard never
voluntarily relinquished his wand to another. But seeing her little hand
wrapped around it.. seeing
the power that she had pulled through it last time.. it
was a thrill that somehow was even more heady than the thrill of having that
hand wrapped around his..other..
wand.�

He stepped close behind her once again, lifting his wand in
front of her so that she would see the wandform from
the correct perspective.�

His hand curled and twisted and circumscribed several circles.� It was quite a complex wandform.

She bit her lip and hesitantly requested ��Again please.� I�m not sure I remembered every part.��

He performed it with wide emphasised precision twice more.�

�Obviously it is not a hex for duelling� he pointed out. �but useful nonetheless on occasion.� I was working on the basis that if there were some form of ambient
energy that had a frequency, blocking off all frequencies close to that which
the ..subject..� he amended from �victim� which had
been the first word to occur to him �was naturally operating on would prevent
them using magic.� It worked out somewhat..differently.. than I had
expected, however.�

Hermione turned her head to look over her shoulder at
him.� �What does it do?� she asked with a
look of morbid fascination. �I take it that it�s something unpleasant.�

He thought about it.�
Unpleasant was relative.

�It is not painful.. it
merely places the recipient slightly out of phase with our reality.� Would you like to experience it?� It will not harm you.��

Hermione hesitated.

He turned his face toward hers and sniffed at her hair absently.� His sense of smell was different in this
body.� The chamomile scent of her hair
now was vastly inferior to the piquant sweetness of her first visit with
him.�

�Last time you were here, your hair smelled of apples.� he observed idly.�

She turned slightly. �I have no idea what you washed my hair
with. I usually use a muggle shampoo and conditioner.� They have a wide range of different
scents.� You should see our bathroom in
the dorm � I had to put up another shelf in the shower for all my
products.� You know..
having hair this unruly and offensive is hard work.�

He sighed.

�Make a list.� I will have them placed in
the bathroom for you even if I must enlarge the space to accommodate
them.�� She smiled brightly.�

�Now.. if you do not wish to
experience the hex you may show me the duplicated wandform,
if you please��

She eagerly took the wand from him when he offered it and he
saw the dark little thrill of excitement flash across her face.

Dipping lightly into the surface of her mind he heard various excited exaltant cries�

�I get to use the Dark Lord�s wand.. ME!!�

This is Lord Voldemort�s wand.. and he gave it to ME to use..

Not only is the most powerful wizard in the world teaching me..
not only is he sleeping with me.. but I am allowed to actually read his books.. USE HIS WAND!!..

Ohgodohgodohgod.. this is better than..anything.. well.. no.. ok
maybe it�s not better than when he kisses me.. or or.. what he did this morning.. ohmygod that was
unbelievable.�

Severus was enjoyable.. I liked what he did..what we did.. but it wasn�t
anything like Him..There�s nothing like him. I can�t believe he
actually wants me. It�s insane.. I�m..so
..��

He tuned back out, pleased.� It seemed she enjoyed this even more than
he.�

Nevertheless he would have to get her a wand.�
It was impractical to do otherwise.�

He nodded as she performed the intricate wandform
almost perfectly.

�That is acceptable.� You must not
accentuate the third twirl so and the entire thing must be understated.. like so� he took her hand and
performed the wandwork as it should be performed in
actual use.

After leading her through it twice he removed his hand and she performed it
flawlessly.�

�The incantation is as follows..�
he pointed her hand with the wand at Kerbel�s book on
the table and slid his hand up to pinch the wood between his fingers over her
hand.

�Io umkringa til enn� �he incanted with a lilt at the
end.�

The book disappeared.�

Hermione blinked. �Can I touch it?� she asked
curiously.�

�Try� he suggested.�

She did so.� Her hand
passed through where the book should have been.�

�It�s gone?!� Where did it go?� Is it vanished?� Banished?�
What happened to it?!��

He smirked.� �Will you
try the hex?� I have told you that it
will not harm you.. You may understand rather more if
you do.��

She frowned and then relented

�Ok then.� If you say
so.��

She stepped away a few paces and turned back looking at him with
trepidation.��

He concentrated his focus and cast the spell. She flicked
immediately out of being.� After a minute
or so he flicked his wand and cast a finite incantantum.� Hermione flicked back into being and
immediately started to hyperventilate in panic.

He stepped to her and enfolded her in his arms, surprised.

�Now.. there.. what is it?.. You are not afraid of the dark, surely!��

She looked up at him with wild panicked eyes. �Where was
I?!� It was like..
with the demon.. there was
just.. darkness..and silence
and I couldn�t move but I could still think clearly.� God � it was horrible.�

He nodded slowly, understanding her panic and reproving
himself for not having considered that she might react so. �

�You appeared to me as the book did, Hermione.�
Neither visible, nor tangible..�

When I developed the spell and realised what it did to those cast upon it,
initially I thought perhaps it might be useful as a substitute to invisibility
potions.. but as you realised
yourself, you cannot see or hear the world around you and cannot interact with
any physical object.� You are simply held
in stasis.. for as long as
the caster chooses to hold you.�

And.. should anything happen
to them � you would be permanently stranded there.. No one would ever know you
stood there just slightly out of phase with the world.�

You would not age.. you did
not need to breathe, would never require sustenance of any form.. you would simply be there.�
Perpetually conscious.. forever.��

�Imagine if you stood in the back of a derelict classroom in
the Hogwarts dungeons sealed off lower levels.�
It could be decades of perfect unbroken stillness before a single human
being might intrude upon the space and even if they did � they would never know you were there.�

She gaped in horror. �Oh god.. did you do that to someone?�
Leave them there? ...like..like that..��

He tilted his head sardonically.� �If I said I had, you would try to find a way
to return to Hogwarts in order to scour the dungeons lower levels from top to
bottom casting finites over every inch, wouldn�t you?!�

You claimed to want to learn the dark arts, Hermione..
They do not.. generally.. tend to be friendly fluffy spells.� Perhaps you are rethinking your desire?��

He saw the girl jolt in panic. �NO!!� No!!� I�m
not!� Please Tom!� I want
to learn it.� Thank you for sharing the
spell with me!! �I was just..it was so horrible in that state.. after
yesterday.. but it has nothing to do with anything.
Please don�t stop!��

Taking pity on her he kissed her forehead, flicked a finite
at the invisible book and pressed the wand into her hand.�

�Show me the hex, Hermione.��

She turned quickly and, eager to please, cast the spell on
the book.� It vanished as it was supposed
to and she called it back with a finite.�

He praised her and commanded her to do it silently.� It took her three tries before she succeeded
but she was able to do it four times in a row after she had.�

He smiled in approval.��

The next two spells he taught her proceeded without any
drama or moral quibbles, although they were, to his mind, equally nasty.� �

The alhamena ezabatea curse
suppressed the victim�s ability to exert their will independently.� They would never be able to disobey a direct
order given to them by anyone.� It could
not be removed with a finite � but required a countercurse,
for obvious reason.� While the Icelandic hex was impossible for the victim to dispel and unlikely to
be dispelled by others, no witch or wizard could possibly miss the fact that
they were compelled to obey all the time.�
The countercurse was actually more complex
than the curse itself.�

He explained to Hermione that with this curse too he had been seeking a way to
block the use of magic.� But the meaning
of the word in basque had not been quite right,
obviously.�

He did not mention that he had eventually discovered a curse
that did work to block magic.� He would never..ever..
reveal that
curse to another witch or wizard.� It was
far too dangerous if used against him. �

Instead he taught her another failed version - �Bind Tol
Varazslat�� it
bound the victim with magical ropes that tightened unstoppably if magic was
applied to try to release them, crushing the life out of whoever was within and
eventually cutting them into slices.�

It looked exactly like the
incarcerous.�

To release the curse, a counterspell had to be
applied directly with wand contact on the skin of a part of the person not
covered in ropes.

When Hermione had crushed the life out of a couch cushion he
was satisfied.� He ordered them both tea
and sat down with her to drink and reflect.�

It was into that contented mutual peace that Severus apparated fifteen minutes
later, looking somewhat worse for wear.�

He fell to his knees immediately, anticipation of punishment
radiating off him like a stink.�

The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes at him coldly.� �Ah Severus.. I
wondered where you might be.� What have
you being doing all day?��

He watched the potions master hesitate for a microsecond, the lie almost
certainly sliding up in his mind and then he responded with the truth.�

�I returned to Hogwarts to retrieve some things.� There were potions ingredients that are
exceedingly difficult to come by and which belonged to me personally.� I was not willing to donate my books to the
Hogwarts restricted section either, my Lord.��

The Dark Lord scowled.�
He could understand the logic but it was irrelevant.�

�Did I or did I not order you this
morning not to return there, Severus?��

The man ducked lower� �You did, my Lord.� I..disobeyed.� I am sorry.�
I could not allow my things to be lost and I thought that at this early
stage, they would be untouched.��

Scoffing at this, the Dark Lord sneered back �And were they?� Just why
do you appear to have been dragged through a hedge backwards?��

Severus glanced up at them both with weary eyes. �Albus had
cast some kind of charm upon my bookshelf.�
As soon as the final book was removed it sealed my quarters.� He came for me and tried to bind me. I was
unable to defeat him magically � I barely managed to ward off his attacks.� If it had not been for Miss Granger�s liquid imperius potion I think I would not have made it out.��

At this the girl herself leapt up, jubilant �I was going to
do the same thing!!� When I was trapped.. you know � before he wanted the
necklace off. �He offered me a potions
lab � I thought I could brew Gren and Gables and make
him let me out.. I�m so glad that it worked!!�

You know.. Professor Dumbledore is the perfect example
of why dark potions can sometimes be used for a good purpose. .. Are you ok, Severus?��

The Dark Lord tapped his finger on the armrest of the sofa
in irritation.� His servant responded to
the chit, as if this were an acceptable thing to do.

�No.. I�m damn well not.� I had to leave my basilisk
scales there!! They resist shrinking charms, obviously.� In light of ..events..
I did not wish to risk further problems by staying around to retrieve them from
the, probably equally warded, potions storeroom.� I abandoned them there.��

He looked truly sorrowful.� The Dark Lord
had no patience for this.� It was one
thing to allow Severus the liberties he had been granted this morning, but
quite another to lose his fear and obedience.�

From what he could see � the man had promptly gone from his bed to disobeying a
direct order.�

He was livid.

Not only was this entirely unacceptable � he had done it in front of Hermione �
undermining his power and demonstrating for her that she too could rebel if she
chose.� He would have to be hard on his
servant and Hermione would have to be
present.� She must learn that this kind
of behaviour would not be tolerated.

�I am..exceedingly
..displeased with you..Severus.��
he said icily.

�Hermione..� come here��

She looked wary and thrown off
balance but obeyed, stopping in front of him and kneeling.� He allowed her a small smile of
approval.�

�Show me that you are capable of following my direction.� Use the cruciatus upon him.� Punish him for me.�� He appraised her conflicted reaction.�

�I..I�m not sure i can..� she said very softly.� �I..don�t hate
him..�

Stroking a hand down her face he responded.� �You do not need to hate him, merely to
desire him to feel pain.� Do you imagine
I hate each of my servants when I punish them.�

Well... actually � to be fair I hate many
of them.. but it is not hate that drives the cruciatus,
Hermione, it is desire.�

You may desire his pain for many reasons.�
Bellatrix desires it for her own pleasure.� That need not be the case.� Some of my finest interrogators desire the
pain of their victim because it is expedient to retrieving the answers they
seek.�

You will desire his pain because he
has directly disobeyed me after I showed him such generosity this morning.. and you will desire his pain
because it will please me if you
succeed.�

You do...wish..to please
me.. do you not?� he asked with a small dark
smile.�

Hermione swallowed and nodded slowly.�

�Very good.� Off you go then.

Keep in mind.. Lucius had
done nothing wrong when you used it
upon him.� Severus truly deserves to be punished right now.�

Look at him! �Even he knows it.� He came here
quite expecting it.��

The man in question looked from Hermione back to him with
confusion writ large on his face.��

When Hermione took the wand offered to her, Severus looked
absolutely horrified.� His wide eyes kept
staring at the pale twisted wand in the soft little hand.�

The Dark Lord wondered what he was thinking.�
Clearly, to judge by his expression, it would be something along the
lines of expletives, exclamation marks and variations on �It cant be�, �I am not seeing this�, �impossible!��

Hermione took up stance a couple of metres in front of
him.� Lord Voldemort scrutinized her
posture.� She looked nervous but
determined.�

He was pleased already.� She would
succeed.� He already knew it from the air
about her.�

She did not disappoint.�
A few seconds later she threw the curse and held it upon the gasping
twitching Severus.��

He wanted to kiss her when she twisted her wrist just so and her face took on a
focused strained expression.�

Severus whined.� That
was a rather large concession from the man.�

He saw the set of Hermione�s shoulders change and could almost feel her leaning
her energy into the curse as if pushing against a weight.�

The potions master emitted a high pitched keening wail and rolled, stretching
and extending himself unnaturally and then cramping the next second.

He did not beg.. he was not
that far yet.� But he was quite far.� How wonderful.� The girl was so much better at this than Bella and it was only her second attempt.� Beautiful!��

When Severus started to sob and whimper continuously, he
spoke quietly �Enough.��

Hermione required a second or two to recognise he had spoken
and disengage herself.�
He did not begrudge it.� �When she broke the curse Severus continued
weeping softly in pain.�

�You performed wonderfully, Hermione.� I am very
pleased.� Show me..
the second curse you learned today.� Make him stand��

Severus, near incoherent as he was, registered the threat of
further pain and began to beg.�

Hermione hesitated but cast the curse silently.�
When nothing appeared to happen to him Severus sobbed in relief.�

Then Hermione told him to stand up and he screamed in agony as he found himself
forcing his body up off the floor, tendons and muscles protesting.�

He stood, swaying, his face a picture of misery.�

�Dance a jig� the Dark Lord commanded.�

The man delivered a surprisingly nimble performance although
the shrieks and wails rather detracted.�

Hermione looked bothered by the suffering on display before her.� He decided to refrain from further corporal punishment
for the moment.�

�Severus.. Your decision to act so
foolishly after my kindness toward you of late, disappoints me.. no.. it
infuriates me! If you had come to me and explained your desires.. your irrational need for
whatever emotional little trinket drew you back to Hogwarts so desperately.. I
would have ensured that it was procured somehow and brought here.� your books are no
argument � nothing you possess is not already present here in Malfoy�s, Lestrange�s or my own
libraries.�

And as for your ingredients.. That basilisk was my pet and companion for seven
years.� Do you imagine I did not amass a
sizeable collection of scales?� He shed
every three months!�

Moreover - there were two basilisks
when I first arrived at Hogwarts.� The
female died following the laying of her egg.�
Yes.. I have basilisk eggshell.. and a
very extensive range of other basilisk themed ingredients � Why do you think
that a second carcass was not found in the chamber?!� I was exceedingly thorough!�

Had you come to me with your concern.. you would have been informed of this.� �

Severus looked incensed even through his agony.

�What happened to the baby?� Hermione asked suddenly,
concern on her face.

He shook his head thinking disparaging thoughts about females and babies of all
dispositions.�

�I cut it into pieces and packed them in ice.. What do you think?!�

It lives sealed in a vast underground cavern system I sought for it.� It was a male unfortunately.��

Hermione looked both relieved and sorrowful.� �It will never see another of its own kind.. it�ll be completely alone for
hundreds of years.� she murmured.�

�Yes� he said dully. �But I cannot pull basilisks from my
sleeves unfortunately.� Should I have
killed it?� Would that have been the..merciful.. thing to do?�

If I had left it at Hogwarts it would be dead now.� As is Ssacharshi �
its father.�

He was rather philosophical.. even
for reptiles � they tend to be cynical and observant but he was above and
beyond.. the most wise creature I have known. An engaging debator. �Generous.. loyal.. pragmatic. �

He gave me permission to utilize Rasssarcha�s remains.�
I am certain that he gave his life willingly, seeking to save
mine.��

He broke off, suddenly aware of how he had let himself expose his private
thoughts before his servant and.. and
whatever Hermione was.� His apprentice,
he reminded himself.�

The confounded chit was looking at him with shining
eyes.�

�Have you ever visited him?� she asked softly.

He snarled at her �No.�
Show me one of the other curses I taught you.��

She nodded shortly and turned back to the pained potions
master.� He was shaking with the effort
to remain standing.�

At least Hermione was intelligent enough to recognise when she should not push
further, he noted as Severus promptly was covered in ropes.�

He fell heavily to the ground.� He would
be quite alright provided magic was not used upon him.� From the expression on his face the tight
bindings actually provided some relief to his sore muscles.

�Good.� Now ..come to me.� We
will find you a wand.��

Her face turned to him startled and a little hurt.� He could see she did not want to stop using
his wand with him as they had been doing.�

If she had her own wand..things would be different.. even the manner in which he taught her spells.�

He hardened his heart.� He was being
foolish about the girl.� She was a vulnerability.� What
if she broke it somehow?!� He would be
wandless.� He was extremely attached to
that wand!�

Besides.. look
at what a sot she was making him into.�
He had allowed Severus to escape very nearly unscathed purely in order to avoid ..upsetting..
her.�

This was unacceptable.�

And he would have to find a room for her.�

He would meet her for lessons and when he felt like having her.. but the rest of the time she
could stay out of his quarters. �He would
not allow this...decay.. to
continue.��

Hermione had reached him and offered his wand back
wordlessly, looking down.

�Did I do something wrong� she whispered tightly, looking down dejectedly.�

He took the wand and her hand and disapparated
them both without answering.�

They reappeared in a dark room.� Hermione�s hand tightened around his
own.� It seemed she was somewhat uneasy
about darkness now, despite what she had said.�

He forced the softness out of his mind.�

She would have a wand soon.� She could
cast lumos to her little heart�s content without him.�

Igniting the torches, he exposed the room to them both.� It was rather small but it was full of tall
cabinets with very shallow wide drawers.. almost trays.�

These were all the illegal and unregistered wands he had acquired from various
legitimate and black market sources over time.�

Releasing her he told her which cabinet to begin at.� He knew that within were all the less usual
cores. There were even a couple of phoenix feather core wands within somewhere,
he was certain.� Not from the same bird
as his, obviously, but similar, provided the wood was a decent enough conductor
for the girl.��

He moved away and leaned against the wall on the opposite
side of the room.�

Being in proximity while a witch tried to find the right wand could be a
hazardous endeavour.�

Hermione promptly proved why when wand after wand hissed and spat and reacted
unpleasantly in her hand.� A greater
number, notably those with some product of unicorns or fee, did not react at
all and refused to cast the smallest of spells.�

She was getting frustrated, already down to the third drawer.�

She found one that managed to sustain a lumos.. but it was a fairly weak
glow.� Grimacing she placed it on the top
of the cabinet even so and continued looking.��
Another reacted slightly better a few minutes later and she added it to
the other on top of the cabinet.�

By the time she had finished she had a selection of seven wands.� He strolled over to inspect them.� One of the last ones had seemed perfectly
decent.��

It appeared she had, the labels to judge by, a preference for elder and oak
wood. two of the seven wands were elder, �four oak and the final wand was vine.�

She looked somewhat perturbed by the results of her
search.�

�What is in the other cabinets?� she asked uncertainly.

�That one is all dragon heartstring� he indicated vaguely.
The other two are respectively hippogriff and runespoor.��

Hermione stuck out her chin � �My last wand had a dragon
heartstring.. I should try those!��

He waved her off to the other cabinet uncaring, inspecting
the wands that had selected her.

The first, the one that had barely responded was vine with dragon
heartstring.� He had observed her
expression of shock and almost.. betrayal..
when she had read the components of the wand. It had
taken only a moments delving into her thoughts to learn that her last wand had
had this pairing of elements.�

Still.. one�s magical energy
changed over time.� A familiar wand
became bonded to a wizard or witch.� It
would continue to perform adequately because it was familiar � when in
actuality a new wand might perform better.

It was very difficult for a wizard to give up a wand he had used for many
years.� There was something of.. loyalty.. to
it.� It was irrational..�

He looked to the other wands Hermione had selected.� Elder and Oak.� Strong wands.� Used in both light and dark magic.�

The oak was generally a wand of strength, stability, endurance,
intelligence.� The elder was typically
associated with power but it was very rare to find wands made of this wood � it
was considered sacred, traditionally.�
Wars had been fought centuries ago over its misuse.�

The two wands here looked extremely old.�
He wondered vaguely who had died and left them..
not that it mattered really. �

The cores.. well..
It was clear that had Hermione not sought his tutelage out, she would have
almost certainly pursued the dark arts some other way.� The first oak wand he inspected held a
phoenix feather.� The name of the phoenix
was listed but he did not recognise it.� The
other oak � the second wand that Hermione had found that responded to her, held
runespoor fang.�

He mused on whether he should direct her from the passionate dragons to the
venomous runespoor section.�

It was far and above the most common wandcore of
those in his service, �being primarily suited to the dark
arts.�

The other two oak wands were similarly dark. Thestral hair
and vampire fang.�

He weighed them in his hands.� These were
powerful wands.. expensive
too, he noted.� Vampire fang had been
banned as a wandcore for over a century and vampires
tended to react violently to wizards with such wands.�

He surreptitiously replaced that wand back in the cabinet.� There was no call to go courting trouble with
the girl.�

After a moment he placed the dragon heartstring wand back also.�

Lifting the first elder wand he very nearly tossed it away
also.� Sphinx claw.� Those were temperamental beasts.� They would turn on wizards if they behaved
foolishly.� It was a wandcore
of the academic.. a popular wandcore for Ravenclaws.��

Reluctantly he placed it with the oak wands.�
If she chose that, it would be a shame.�
They weren�t particularly suited to dark work.�

The final wand, as he lifted it, pulsed in his hand
strongly.� It felt very good.. He checked it and nearly dropped it.� Chimaera scale.. These were virtually impossible to find � and in an Elder
setting?!�

It was a beautiful object too.. carved
with intricate curlicues and vines, thirteen inches, the handle worn and warm.�

Experimentally he swished it and cast a� lumos.�
The wand glowed incandescently, lighting up the room.� His eyes widened at it.�

A lovely thing.. so
responsive.. so aesthetically pleasing.�

Hermione walked back over to him.� �That one likes you..�
she said with only the faintest hint of envy.�
The wand responded more strongly to him than it had to her.�

�It does appear that way� he replied neutrally.�

Without really thinking about it he found himself slipping the new wand into
his robe pocket.� It liked him.�

�I take it that the dragon heartstrings did not like you� he snorted at her.�

She frowned.� �No.� not much.�
What happened to the other wands I left here?!� There remained only four on the cabinet.� The three oak with phoenix,
runespoor and thestral and
the elder with sphinx claw.�

His hand itched to put the sphinx claw wand back in the cabinet too..� and
the runespoor too while he was at it � it was a
common core.� She was superior to Mulciber. �

She reached for the phoenix feather and swished it a
bit.� It looked too long for her � a wizards wand, certainly.�
A large
wizard�s wand.�

She cast a lumos.� It was adequate.� Nothing tremendous like the reaction his own wand had shown her.�
Sufficient but underwhelming.�

It would perhaps perform better if she could try more challenging spells.�

Frowning he covered his hand in his sleeve and scooped up
all four wands, grabbing Hermione lightly by the upper arm and disapparating them back to his quarters.�

Severus lay dozing and jolted awake when they cracked
in.��

�What did you end up with� he slurred curiously.�

�We haven�t gotten that far yet� the Dark Lord responded
absently, releasing Hermione and placing the wands down on the coffee
table.�

�Can I release him?� Hermione asked softly.�

He responded curtly in the negative, extinguishing the
fire.� �Ignore him or I shall cast finite
on his bindings.��

Severus seemed confused at this threat.�

He handed Hermione the phoenix feather wand � �light the
fire, my dear.��

She did.�

The fire lit.�

That was about all that could be said for it.�

It was at least a ..well behaved.. underwhelming
wand.

He frowned and took it off her, offering her the runespoor wand, hoping it would be worse.�

It was.� The fire
barely lit.��

Runespoor was dark but not particularly
powerful.� It seemed Hermione required a more
energetic core.�

With trepidation he watched her try the sphinx claw.� It was better than the phoenix feather.� He cursed internally wondering if he should
go back and get the vampire tooth wand.�

That at least would be well suited to dark arts work. �

Despairing, he watched her swish the wand, looking at it thoughtfully.� It was disasterously
pretty, as wand�s went.� Pale and lemony with a carved spiral running
up it like a unicorn�s horn.�

She could not possibly select that wand.�
He snatched it out of her hand irritatedly and
replaced it with the thestral hair wand.�

Thestral hair made no differentiation between light
and dark magic.� It would be quite
suitable.� Certainly the most suitable of
the wands she had ended up with.��

Hermione hefted it and examined it thoughtfully.�

He wondered if it had pulsed for her.. hoping it had.�

He was disappointed.� Her thoughts were
along the lines of how heavy it felt and how strange that was when it was a
good three inches shorter than the phoenix feather wand and made of the same
wood.�

She swiped and flicked it.�
It made a faint hiss in the air.�

Shrugging speculatively she pointed it at the fire and cast the charm.�

The fire lit with about as much flare as the sphinx wand. It
was difficult to distinguish between the two perfectly adequate effects.� He could see her eye return to the prettier
sphinx wand.� The thestral
cored oak wand was rather plain.� Unembellished and apparently �heavy�.�

This was an entirely unsatisfactory outcome.�

Irritated he offered her his wand once again and gestured
for her to light the fire with it.� The
effect was once again spectacular.�

He growled internally and stalked over, extracting the twisted bone like yew
wand out of her hot little hand.�

It was his..
she could not have it.�

He cast his own fireball at the hearth.�
It was large and orange red.�
Larger than hers, but he was quite used to that degree of power.� Expected it.�

Reluctantly he removed the attractive chimaera wand
out of his pocket and pushed it into her hands.�

The fireball that eventuated was as large as his had
been.� This wand liked her too.� It cast more powerfully for her than his own wand.�

Almost uneager for the knowledge he plucked it back
from her and used it to cast upon the fireplace.� The resultant fireball was incandescent white
and melted away half of the stones in the lintel.�

His own wand in one hand and the new wand in his other he tilted his head back
in irritation.� He wanted to keep
both.� They were both extremely good
wands.�

What did it matter what kind of wand the chit used.� She was here to learn.� The theory was the same even if her wand was
weak.�

He slipped a wand in each of his robe pockets, unnoticing how the chimaera wand
had automatically been placed in the pocket that normally housed his own twelve
inches of yew.� �

Hermione watched both wands disappear with what seemed to be
resignation.�

�The sphinx and the thestral � you
will keep them both.� We shall find you
something more appropriate in time perhaps.��

She nodded�
and pocketed them both.�

He looked at her robe critically, for the first time.� It was one of his.� Severus must have transfigured it for
her.�

�You have no clothing here� he observed.�
�One more thing to deal with.�

He groaned inwardly.�
He did have other things to do
besides fuss around with the girl all day.�

Severus was conspicuously silent.� He
turned to the man who had adopted as contrite and pitiful a posture as was
possible in the ropes.

�Severus..� he said slowly.�

�Yes master?� the potions master acknowledged meekly.�

�Stop that.� You are
fooling no one.� You will take Hermione
and procure clothing..�
and hair products� he added remembering his
dissatisfaction earlier.� �remain in muggle London and do not let her out of your
sight.� If you disobey me again I will
have Lucius deal to Draco in the black room!��

Severus eyes widened gratifyingly.�

�Yes.� Without
hesitation.� Do not doubt it, Severus�� he assured the
man.�

He stalked over and pressed his wand.. his new wand.. to Severus forehead, casting the countercharm to the hexed
ropes.� They fell away and the potionsmaster stretched his limbs gingerly.�

He was visibly still in pain.�

Thoughtfully he commanded the man �feel no more pain!��

Severus blinked, stunned.�
He climbed to his feet cautiously and tested his limbs.

The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow� �You will only cause yourself more
permanent damage if you continue that.�
Your body is still hurt, you are merely no
longer feeling it.� Be aware of
that.� Do not feel compelled to obey
orders from anyone but Lord Voldemort, Severus��
�

The man nodded cautiously.��

Hermione stood looking like someone had avada�d
her puppy.�

He could hear her thinking.. she
was intentionally broadcasting at him..
�What did I do?� You�re angry with me. �I�m sorry.�
Whatever it was.. I didn�t mean to.� I�ll be better.��

He ignored it and waved Severus to go and..deal
with her.��

When they were gone he moved to his desk and sat.�

After a few minutes he retrieved his new wand and repaired the hearth where he
had melted it.�

It was very quiet.� Peaceful.� He could finally get something done.� No doubt later on he would have more muggle
scientists to review.�

He hadn�t been bothered by Harry since the dream he�d invaded.� Considering Severus was here, it was strange
that he could not feel the twerp..� he�d had some
twinges of anxiety and horror a couple of days ago but now.. nothing.� He mused on the issue.� Had the order assigned someone else to shield
the boy?� Was Dumbledore doing it
himself?�

The answer struck him only minutes later as he was slowly sipping a green
tea.� The necklace.� The damn girl had lost it when he�d retrieved
her from Dumbledores prison.�

He cursed.�

He would not be able to sense Harry at all if he was wearing that stone.. he felt nothing at all.. Dumbledore
must have placed it on a different chain.�

Bastard.� Confounded infuriating
bastard.�

He�d lost a strategic advantage with the boy and it was
because of that chit again.� He had not
been thinking clearly since she turned up before him.� Damn it all to the deepest pit of Hades.��

He transfigured two pieces of parchment into glass vials and
extracted a memory into each.� One was
his own memory of Severus memory of Hermione
in the black room.�

Thankfully he had viewed it via legilimency, else it
would be noticeably blurry.�

The second was a brief section of Severus sucking his cock with obvious gusto
this morning, complete with choking and panic and tears.� Let the boy make of that what he would.��

He sealed the vials and charmed them only to open for Harry Potter.��

He sat then... looking at them both..
wondering whether this was the correct approach.�

It was ..satisfying.. certainly..
but it was really somewhat counterproductive.� The boy already
hated him.� Sending him these memories
would only push his conviction further.�

Really, what he needed to do was undermine it.. and he had everything he needed to do that here.�

He transfigured several more vials and extracted a very
different set of memories.� Himself
giving Severus the wand oath that he had not abducted Hermione.. Severus learning that his memory had
been tampered with and himself giving him another wand oath proving it.� And then the next three he had
surreptitiously watched in the girl as she was remembering the events to tell
himself and Severus in bed.�

He placed Dumbledore informing her that he intended to fake her abduction, Dumbledore
inflicting pain on her and demanding her to take off the necklace and finally Hermione
sobbing in mortal fear inside a blue shrinking bubble.�

After some thought he added a short segment of himself carrying her naked
clinging body into his rooms with Severus trailing behind and her request to
wash being granted as he veered toward the bathroom.�

He cut it off there.� Let the boy imagine
propriety as he would.�� Satisfied now he sealed and charmed the vials and then summoned Draco.

Author note.

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Necessary Sacrifices